20 things that many Swiss Abroad miss

Moving abroad for a decade is probably one of the most exciting things I have ever done. Some memorable moments when my Swiss heart about jumped a beat were when our visiting friends showered us with Swiss goodies: Bottles of Rivella, bars of Swiss chocolate, chunks of Swiss cheese (the real kind) and even the occasional illegal bratwurst (pssst!)...

Apart from all material goods, there are many things that the Swiss abroad miss about Switzerland, including these 20:

1. Distances in Switzerland are mindbogglingly short and it takes no time to get from place A to place B! Crossing Switzerland along its longest axis takes just four hours...

2. Exercising direct democracy in the most direct way! Because the tradition of getting up early on voting day, taking a stroll down to the local Gemeindehaus and having a chat with the neighbors beats mailing in your ballot!

3. Oh, those gorgeous lakes! Who needs an ocean, anyway?

4. 1st of August is the ultimate holiday of the year, no?

5. Where else can you get a decent mixed salad Salatteller?

6. ... or a refreshing Rivella beverage?

 
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7. Punctuality. But hey, even in Switzerland it is OK to show up two minutes late to meet friends!

8. Hiking in the Swiss Alps! No matter how toughened up one thinks they are, the green pastures, majestic peaks and mountain restaurants with kitschy sunbrellas will surely conjure up feelings of homesickness...

9. Cervelat. Need we say more?

10. And bread. Phew, I always missed that yummy Swiss bread...

11. Those unmissable town festivals with live Ländler folk music and vendors selling cotton candy and smelly raclette!

12. And then those charming, colorful houses dotting the cobblestone streets of old towns...

 
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13. A good old cow crossing!

14. Roasted almonds, Magenbrot and merry-go-rounds bring back memories of childhood visits to the Chilbi fairgrounds...

15. Tap water from the source... If someone was to sell it commercially, the label would simply have to state "Natural Swiss Tap"!

16. Switzerland is perfectly clean as streets are routinely swept and littering is rare. A common joke is that one could just as easily have a Sunday picnic on the pavement of a Swiss street...

17. Despite daily papers and mobile news, it is good to know that the Tagesschau news program is still on TV every night at 19:30...

18. Dialects are part of the Swiss DNA! Many Swiss who live abroad realize how nice it is to hear train announcements in various dialects or people chatting in their distinct dialects when they come back to Switzerland...

19. Arriving at the Zürich Airport terminal E for a visit at home!

20. We've reached the bottom of the list. Say what?!? We've missed something? Wait - you're right! CHOCOLATE!!!

(Originally posted on blickamabend.ch and loosely translated with permission of the original author, Anastasia Mamonova)